Conservative Christians Grapple With Whether 'Religious Freedom' Includes Muslims

Religious liberty is a rallying cry for many evangelical voters, and it has been popping up repeatedly throughout this presidential campaign. But in the current political climate, some conservative Christians are struggling with how to apply religious freedom to other faiths — like Islam.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz made religious freedom a hallmark of his failed campaign for the Republican nomination. Now, presumptive nominee Donald Trump is picking up the theme. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump holds up a Bible during a campaign stop in Council Bluffs, Iowa, last year.

"Religious freedom. The right of people of faith to freely practice their faith. So important," Trump said in a June 10 speech in Washington, D.C., to members of the Faith and Freedom Coalition. On June 21, in a room full of evangelical leaders in New York City, Trump again promised to protect religious freedom. The presumptive GOP nominee said if he's elected, "people are going to say 'Merry Christmas' again."

For decades, fights over religious liberty in the U.S. have mostly been about the religious liberties of Christians. Evangelicals have rallied around issues like prayer in public schools, and more recently, whether conservative Christian vendors should be required by law to provide services for same-sex weddings.

But now, as the nation's small but growing Muslim population gains a higher profile, other questions are emerging, including debates in several communities over the right to build mosques....
http://www.npr.org/2016/06/29/483901761/conservative-christians-grapple-with-what-religious-freedom-means-for-muslims?ft=nprml&f=1001